This is Dr Rob Knee, our excellent speaker for April, in the guise of Sir William Paston (1528 to 1610). The costume is one of many created by his talented wife, Penelope, for presentations by the Paston Heritage Society, of which he is Chair. It also reminds us of the Paston that most of us know.
Yes, it was he who founded Paston Grammar School in North Walsham in 1606, now a Sixth Form College. William strikes me as an essentially good man. Whilst he built himself a very fine house, he also built alms houses at Paston. Perhaps it wasn’t Sir William’s fault that pupils were obliged to get up at dawn and kneel before the magnificent tomb he had built for himself in St Nicholas church.
Dr Rob bravely embarked on the huge task of telling the whole Paston story in 45 minutes - a journey from peasantry to gentry in two generations. In the late 1300s the son of a yeoman farmer was sent, with the help of an uncle, to grammar school and then to the Inns of Court. This was the first William Paston, a “right cunning man” in law, who used his large income to purchase extensive tracts of land and property in east and coastal Norfolk, then the most prosperous land in England.
This wealth was inherited by his son John, who made a favourable marriage to Margaret Mautby. He then, some allege, proved himself also to be cunning when he managed to manipulate the will of her wealthy kinsman, Sir John Fastolf, in his own favour and added extensive property to the Paston estate.
There were bad times, too. Powerful challenges to “the will” came from the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, among others. Battles were fought, land and castles lost and regained. At times there were not enough sons to make cash-generating marriages and properties fell into disrepair, including Oxnead Hall, which had represented their peak of achievement.
It is this turbulent period that is recorded in the famous Paston Letters, written by Margaret to John in London. It seems that he was in charge of their legal and diplomatic defence whilst she was fighting the actual battles back at home. There are 1000 of Margaret’s letters, and another 1000 written by the Earl of Great Yarmouth, the last of the Pastons.
The Paston Heritage Society aims to spread this story more widely in the run-up to the 2019 600th Anniversary of the first Paston Letter. A remarkably successful application to the Heritage Lottery Fund is leading to the creation of well-resourced settlement “hubs”, each of which will have its own project, based on particular Pastons. There will be a website with 3D reconstructions of properties and various publications. A group of MA students is looking into branding, on the theme of History Beyond Kings and Queens. Game of Thrones beware!
A few weeks later a group of MLHG members attended a Paston Heritage Society presentation at Mautby Church. All were impressed, including by the excellent refreshments, and recommend that you should look out for the next opportunity.
To my ryth reverent and worscheful husbond, Jon Paston.
Ryth reverent and worscheful husbond, I recomaunde me to yow, desyryng hertyly to here of yowr wylfare, thankyng yow for the tokyn that ye sent me be Edmunde Perys, preyng yow to wete that my modyr sent to my fadyr to London for a goune cloth of mustyrddevyllers[307-2] to make of a goune for me; and he tolde my modyr and me wanne he was comme home, that he cargeyt yow to beyit, aftyr that he were come oute of London.
I pre yow, yf it be not bowt, that ye wyl wechesaf to byit, and sendyt home as sone as ye may, for I have no goune to weyre this wyntyr but my blake and my grene a lyer,[307-3] and that is so comerus that I ham wery to weryt.
As for the gyrdyl that my fadyr be hestyt me, I spake to hym ther of a lytyl before he zede to London last, and he seyde to me that the faute was in yow, that ze wolde not thynk ther uppe on to do makyt [_to get it made_]; but I sopose that ys not so; he seydyt but for a skwsacion. I pre yow, yf ye dor takyt uppe on yow, that ye wyl weche safe to do makyt a yens ye come home, for I hadde never more nede ther of than I have now, for I ham waxse so fetys[308-1] that I may not be gyrte in no barre of no gyrdyl that I have but of one. Elisabet Peverel hath leye sek xv. or xvj. wekys of the seyetyka, but sche sent my modyr word be Kate, that sche xuld come hedyr wanne God sent tyme, thoow sche xuld be crod [_wheeled_] in a barwe.
Jon of Damm was here, and my modyr dyskevwyrd me to hym, and he seyed, be hys trouth that he was not gladder of no thyng that he harde thys towlmonyth, than he was ther of.
I may no lenger leve be my crafte, I am dysscevwyrd of alle men that se me.
Of alle odyr thyngys that ye deseyreyd that I xuld sende yow word of, I have sent yow word of in a letter that I dede wryte on Ouwyr Ladyis Day[308-2] laste was. The Holy Trenyte have yow in Hese kepyng.
Wretyn at Oxnede, in ryth gret hast, on the Thrusday next be fore Seynt Tomas Day.[308-3]
I pre yow that ye wyl were the reyng with the emage of Seynt Margrete, that I sent yow for a rememraunse, tyl ye come home; ye have lefte me sweche a rememraunse, that makyth me to thynke uppe on yow bothe day and nyth wanne I wold sclepe.
Your ys,
M. P.
— From Margaret Paston to John Paston, 1441:
For more glimpses into these remarkable letters click on this link: